


Time gone by

by toorusalka



Category: Free!
Genre: Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-12 02:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2092641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toorusalka/pseuds/toorusalka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matsuoka-san comes back to Iwatobi after a year of work in Tokyo and reunites with her children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time gone by

**Author's Note:**

> It is my first fanfiction ever (that I actually finished and am willing to publish).
> 
> Please, tell me in the comments what I'm doing wrong, and what I'm doing right. I literally got no clue what I'm doing, and I want the fanfiction making/reading process to be as painless as possible for all sides involved.

She was exhausted. And her suitcase was so heavy. True, it had wheels, but she still had to carry it up the stairs. She would give a kingdom for a cup of tea.

"Matsuoka-san! Welcome back, it's been too long! Oh, let me help you with your luggage!" an older man said loudly, smiling bright. She recognized him as the neighbor she used to see every morning.

"Ah, Shinbo-kun, it's so nice to see you. How have you been?" she asked, silently praying she remembered his name correctly. Judging by his wide grin, she did.

They made small talk as he helped her carry her suitcase up the stairs ("No, really, Shinbo-kun, you don't have to-", "I insist, Matsuoka-san, you must be fatigued!"). She looked around at the nearby houses - pretty much nothing changed in the year she was absent, yet still she noticed the differences. A new car parked nearby, sparkly silver telecom poles, someone painted their house a different color. All the tiny things that suddenly reminded her of the passage of time. 

"How long will you be staying, Matsuoka-san?" her neighbor asked.

"A week." She had a week more of leave, but she wanted to spend it on her son's national championships. Once he made it there, of course. If not, she would take both of them for a few days to see Europe. 

"Well then, you'd better make sure this rowdy son of yours comes and says hello! He barely ever visits. I forget what he looks like, sometimes!" he laughed. She knew he rarely ever came to his sister, of course. Kou called her every week to complain about her sibling.

"Thank you so much for your help, Shinbo-kun. I can take the luggage myself up ahead. Please say hello to your wife from me!" she smiled at him, and he laughed again. They said goodbyes, and he came back to his house.

The light was on in the living room. She knocked on the door and opened it, not awaiting a reply. The voices she heard surprised her. 

"I'm home!" she said, taking off her shoes. It felt good to say it out loud. She never bothered in her Tokyo flat. She lived alone, after all.

The soft tap-tap of feet was the only alert she got before Kou appeared from the kitchen doorway and lunged herself at her neck. 

"Mom! I missed you so, so, so much, oh my God." She hugged her daughter, shocked at how tall she had gotten in this past year. Her heart beat painfully, when she realized she was missing the most important times of both her children's lives. "I made tea, it's on the table in the living room."

"Kou, I think I told you last year to stop growing so fast, I can't keep up with you!" she joked, and her daughter giggled into her neck, still not letting go. 

Rin stepped into view. He looked everywhere but at her.

"Welcome back, mom." he said quietly. If she didn't see he was on the verge of tears, she would even joke about him being shy around her. Kou let her go and turned to look at her brother. Matsuoka smiled at him and, after a few moments, said, "It's good to be back." And then he finally, finally looked her in the eyes. She walked up to him and put her right hand on his shoulder, and the other on his cheek. "Hey, big boy. Thanks for all those phone calls during the times we didn't see each other." He went as pale as a sheet, and she heard Kou inhale sharply behind her. Rin's eyes glistened, and she immediately felt bad.

"Aah, shit, I was kidding. Come here." she put his head to her shoulder, and put her arms around him. "I love you, and I missed you. It breaks my heart when I think of all the pain you went through and all the times I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I couldn't have been a more supportive mother. I hope you forgive me." she said quietly, into his ear. She felt him shook, and a part of her registered Kou fleeing to the kitchen to make tea.

"What, mom, no, what-"

"Sshhhh." she interrupted him. "Only hugs now."

So they hugged. The tea went cold.


End file.
